Eklezyas 11
1 Voye pen ou sou sifas dlo, e apre anpil jou, ou va twouve l.
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
2 Divize byen ou fè sèt, oswa uit menm; paske ou pa janm konnen ki malè k ap rive sou latè.
Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 Si nwaj yo plen, yo vide lapli sou latè; epi si yon bwa tonbe vè sid, oswa vè nò, kote li tonbe a, se la l ap kouche.
If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.
4 Sila ke veye van an p ap simen; ni sila ki veye syèl la p ap rekòlte.
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5 Menm jan ke ou pa konnen chemen van an, ni jan zo yo vin fòme nan vant a fanm ansent lan, se konsa ou pa konnen zèv Bondye ki fè tout bagay la.
As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all.
6 Simen semans ou nan maten an; ni pa gaspiye tan nan aswè. Paske ou pa janm konnen si se nan maten oswa nan aswè semans lan ap reyisi; ni si se pa tou de k ap bon.
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
7 Limyè a byen bèl, e li bon pou zye wè solèy la.
Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.
8 Anverite, si yon nonm ta viv anpil ane, kite li rejwi li nan yo tout; men pa kite l bliye jou tenèb yo, paske yo va anpil. Tout sa ki gen pou vini se vanite.
Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
9 Rejwi jennonm, pandan jenès ou, e kite kè ou rete kontan pandan ane de laj jenès ou yo. Swiv sa ki atire kè ou ak dezi a zye ou, men konnen byen ke Bondye va rele ou nan jijman pou tout bagay sa yo.
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
10 Pou sa, retire gwo doulè ak mechanste pou l pa nan kè ou, e fè mal rete lwen chè ou; paske jenès ak ane jenès yo va disparèt vit.
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for youth and the prime of life are vanity.
